A pair of second places earns cup for Bell

Sunday served up windier conditions than the forecast was telling the eight sailors for the first race at Welland Yacht Club, the fifth leg of the Munson Cup series.
With a beating start away from the clubhouse that would take them up river to no.4 buoy, it was tight on the start line as the boats jockeyed for position.
At the off it was Andy Prior in the Laser followed by Tom Bell, Alan Chapman, Kieron Powell and Alan Cox in the Radial rig who were away, with the gusts causing some close encounters.
Chapman was the first to taste the Welland water when gear malfunction caused him to capsize on the beat and he eventually had to retire to fix the problem.
Prior and Bell were having their own private battle for the lead and they pulled away on the off-wind legs followed by Powell.
In the chasing bunch, Gerri Van Haren and Cox, with the OK of Andy Agar, were fighting it out. However, misfortune befell Van Haren when he gybed on no.1 buoy and capsized, allowing the others to pass. After nearly an hour of racing, it was Prior who crossed the line first, just in front of Bell with Powell third and Cox fourth. The positions were unchanged after handicaps were applied.
Race two was the final one in the series and the same boats came to the start line.
The wind was still gusting and causing issues with some boats managing to sail backwards.
The fleet was line shy for some reason and it was nearly 30 seconds before the first boat of Agar and Bell crossed the line to no.5 buoy with a beat and plenty of cross tacking and place changing among them.
Prior started badly but by Shelly’s Bush corner had made his way through the fleet to contest the lead with Bell, Cox and Powell. By the time they passed the clubhouse on the first lap, Prior had taken the lead, with Bell close behind and both negotiated the gybe without incident. They were followed by Powell and Van Haren, who were close, Cox, Agar and Chapman, who had taken to the water earlier, rounded with Agar to gain the advantage of water at the mark rounding.
After handicaps were applied, it was a re-run of the first race results with Prior first, followed by Bell and Powell.
That meant Bell was the overall Munson Cup champion, with Powell second and Gail Follington taking the bronze medal.
Five boats entered the afternoon points race of the day, with the first two races having taken their toll on some.
With the wind changing direction, coming over the clubhouse and decreasing, it meant a reaching start.
Powell opted for a position that picked up the breeze, while some were stuck in the wind shadow of the club and could only watch him sail away to gain an early lead .
By the time they rounded no.1 buoy the first time, it was close with the three Lasers of Prior, Powell and Bell battling it out, followed by Agar and Cox. With the wind dropping, they may have had time to spot the kingfisher fishing .
These places did not change and Prior came out winner in a close race with only 10 seconds between Powell in second and Bell in third. Cox was fourth and Agar fifth.